Casey Kelly, KTOO - Juneau

Alaska’s economy slowed in 2013. On Thursday, two economists offered different takes on what that means for this year at the World Trade Center Alaska‘s annual statewide economic forecast talk in Juneau.
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Alaska public health officials are keeping an eye out for cases of measles, especially in residents who travel to and from the Philippines. That country’s health department this week declared an outbreak of the disease in parts of Manila, the capital.

Albert Kookesh is stepping down as chairman of the board of directors for Sealaska, the regional Native Corporation for Southeast Alaska. The company also announced the deadline to apply for its president and CEO position, as Chris McNeil prepares to retire.

The Alaska Court of Appeals has reinstated over-fishing charges against former State Senator Albert Kookesh and two other men. In 2009, Kookesh and three others were fishing for sockeye salmon at Kanalku Bay near his hometown of Angoon. A state wildlife trooper observed them catching more salmon than allowed under their subsistence permits.
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A number of small businesses are for sale in Juneau right now. They’re all fairly successful and none have plans to close their doors, but due to life changes for their owners, they’re on the market. It’s part of the life cycle of a small business.
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Juneau Animal Control only labels dogs as “dangerous” or “potentially dangerous” as a last resort. Two recent attacks have put the agency in the spotlight. Last week, an Animal Control official urged the Juneau Assembly not to adopt breed specific legislation in response to the attacks. An animal behavior expert says that’s the right idea.
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Former Haines Representative Bill Thomas has filed a letter of intent to run for state office in 2014. Thomas filed late Friday. He did not indicate which office he will seek, but he is eligible to run for either House or Senate in districts representing Juneau. House District 33 includes downtown Juneau and Douglas Island, as well as Gustavus, Haines, and Skagway. It is part of Senate District Q.

The new Southeast Radiation Oncology Center in Juneau celebrated its grand opening last week. The clinic near Bartlett Regional Hospital will treat cancer patients from Juneau and Southeast Alaska, who previously had to travel to Anchorage, Seattle or another large city to get radiation treatment.
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The Alaska State Museum in Juneau is getting a lot of help from other Alaska museums ahead of its move to a new facility in 2016. As the staff works to pack up the more than 32,000 artifacts in its collection, museum professionals from around the state are lending a hand, and learning what it takes to safely store and transport priceless historical objects.
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A group of Juneau residents are tackling the issue of racism head on. Their work started earlier this year, and sprang out of the trial of George Zimmerman for killing unarmed Florida teenager Trayvon Martin, as well as a series of local events that had been building up for years.
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Starting next month cancer patients in Juneau and Southeast Alaska won’t have far to travel for radiation treatment. The new Southeast Radiation Oncology Center opens December 12th in the Capital City. It’s the first radiation cancer treatment center in the region.

The City and Borough of Juneau’s Docks and Harbors Department announced Friday evening that it will delay opening bids for a $54 million floating cruise ship berth project until the city is granted ownership of submerged tidelands by the State of Alaska. "The new bid opening date will be announced following the Final Finding and Decision of the Alaska Department of Natural Resources to convey tidelands to the City & Borough of Juneau,” Uchytil said in a press release.

Nearly half of all states have right-to-work laws that prohibit contracts between employers and labor unions requiring workers to pay union dues. Alaska is not one of them. But with a Republican dominated legislature and executive branch, it is seen as a state where right-to-work legislation could pass. No bills have been introduced here since 2011, and the issue does not seem to be a priority for business or political groups.
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